Overview: Science is changing all the time. New things are being discovered and old theories are being dis-proven. The pulse of science is beating quickly these days and the body of knowledge is growing at an amazing rate. For the past few years we've been building an archive of articles about the topics we cover in class and entering them into a binder with summaries and student views. These directions explain how to contribute to this project. The more people are working on this, the more powerful it will be. You can do as many of these steps as you choose, but you must do them in order and start with step one.

1. Finding An Article (up to 2 points)
Newspapers and magazines usually contain articles on various topics in science. If you use an online article, make sure that it is from a familiar and reputable source (university, research institute, news outlet, etc).  Cut all parts of the article out and write the date, source, and your name on it. If any sections are back-to-back, you might need to get another copy of the newspaper to solve the problem. Science & Technology section on Tuesdays in the San Jose Mercury is a good source.  If you print an article from the web you must also do step 3 or it won't count for points.

2. Tape the Article to 8.5 x 11 Paper (up to 2 points)
The article has to fit into a binder so you need to find a way to fit it onto one or more sheets. For short articles this is easy, but for the long columns with lots of pictures it can take a little time and creativity to create a logical layout. Try to keep things flat and neat, then tape all four edges.

3. Summarize the Article in a Paragraph (up to 3 points)
Now comes the hard part; you have to summarize the article in about 50 to 75 words. Write well and show that you understand the the article. Try to write in a style that communicates your knowledge and is easy for other students to read. Don't just copy or paraphrase the article.

4. Putting the Papers into a Plastic Sleeve (1 point)
To make sure that articles don't get messed up over the years, please put them (taped to paper) in plastic sleeves with three holes.  If there are 2 pages, put them back to back.  If there are more than 2 pages you will nee more than one plastic sleeve.  You can buy plastic sleeves from me.  Ten cents each.

5. Turn it In:
Gee, now wasn't that simple?